11.20.2013

Lance Cpl. Jerry Richard Donatiello, of Frederick Street,
was killed in action in Vietnam on November 20, 1967. He was killed by hostile
rifle fire in the vicinity of Quang Namn on Nov. 20. He had been in Vietnam
since Oct. 5.

Born on June 27, 1945, he enlisted in the Marines on March
3, 1965. He served with the USMC CO F 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine, 1st Marine
Division. His service number is 225482.

He is the son of Mrs. Rose Donatiello. He is buried at Holy
Cross Cemetery, North Arlington, N.J.

7.04.2013

(July 16-21, 1970) -- Pfc. Carl Lawrence Mickens, 26, son of
Mr. and Mrs. Carl D. Mickens of 61 Wilbur Street, was killed in action on July
4 in Vietnam.

Private Mickens, lost
his life in a booby trap explosion while he was on a military mission,
according to a telegram received by his parents. A lifelong Belleville resident, he had planned to
be a vocational high school teacher.

Before entering the service, Pfc. Mickens had completed
three years toward a teaching degree at Montclair State College. Earlier he
attended night school at Fairleigh Dickinson University. He had also completed
four years of apprenticeship as a tool and die maker at Western Electric Co.,
Kearny.

"He planned to finish college after his discharge from
the service next year," his father said. "He hoped to put his
experience as a tool and die maker, and his teaching degree, to use as a vocational
high school teacher."

He was drafted into the army in July 1969. After completing
basic training at Ft. Dix, he took advanced training at Ft. Lewis, Wash., and
Ft. Benning, Ga.

Last April, Pfc. Mickens was assigned to Vietnam and became
a member of the 101st Airborne Division.

"He was a good soldier and took the problems of war in
stride," his father said. "He really did not want to go to Vietnam,
but when the word came through, he went cheerfully."

While at Montclair State, Pfc. Mickens was a member of the
Kappa Sigma Chi fraternity. He was also a member of the choir at Grace
Episcopal Church, Newark. Pfc. Mickens leaves two sisters, Linda Gail, and
Shirley Jean, both at home.

6.06.2013

Capt. William A. Branch, 28, was killed in South Vietnam on June 6, 1970, when his helicopter was brought down by enemy fire.

Two men from Headquarters Company, 2/14 Infantry, were
killed when OH-6A tail number 68-17366 was shot down 10 kilometers southeast of
the Dau Tieng base camp - Captain William A. Branch and Captain William L. Byrd
of Rossville, Ga.

Captain Branch was on his second tour of duty in Vietnam;
his first was in 1966-67 when he served as a MACV Advisor with the 2nd Bn, 46th
ARVN Infantry in Long An Province.The Virtual Wall

5.31.2013

(June 17, 1969) -- Pfc. Paul V. Nelson, 20, of Williams Street, was killed in action on May 31, in the northern part of South Vietnam, according to the Department of the Army.

Nelson was awarded the Silver Star “for gallantry in action against an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam.”

PFC. Nelson “distinguished himself by intrepid actions” on May 31, while serving as a radio telephone operator with Company B, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry.

"On that date, the company was on a search and clear mission near Landing Zone Stinson when the point element came under intense enemy fire.

"Observing one of his comrades fall seriously wounded, Private Nelson, disregarding the danger involved, braved the enemy fire to assist in evacuating the wounded soldier.

"Returning to the area of contact, Private Nelson remained exposed to locate the enemy position. Despite the hostile barrage impacting all around him, Private Nelson located the insurgents’ position and then directed gunship fire on the enemy targets.

"At this point, Private Nelson was mortally wounded from the hostile fire. His timely and courageous actions were responsible for saving the life of his comrade and the defeat of the enemy force.

"Private Nelson’s personal heroism, professional competence, and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of military service, and reflected great credit upon himself, the Americal Division, and the United States Army. "

Pfc. Nelson joined the Army last June and had been in Vietnam for the last six months.

4.14.2013

Chief Warrant Officer Donald S. Murray, 37, was killed in a mid-air helicopter crash April 14, 1996, during live Hellfire Missile drill on McGregor Range at Ft. Bliss, New Mexico.

A 14-year veteran, paratrooper Murray grew up on Moore Place in Belleville and attended Holy Family School.

CWO Donald S. Murray, photo courtesy of Neal Murray.

Albuquerque Journal (NM) - April 16, 1996

FT. BLISS CRASHES KILL THREE2 COPTERS WENT DOWN DURING NIGHT TRAINING
LAS CRUCES -- A team of Army investigators from Alabama arrived at Fort Bliss on Monday to examine wreckage strewn in the crash of two Army helicopters that killed three paratroopers. A fourth soldier who rode in one of the helicopters was treated at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss after the crash Sunday night. The soldier then was released back to his unit. Two OH-58 Delta Kiowa Warrior helicopters, each carrying two...

Albuquerque Journal (NM) - April 16, 1996

ARMY TEAM SEEKS CAUSE OF COPTERS' CRASH
LAS CRUCES -- A team of Army investigators from Alabama arrived at Fort Bliss on Monday to examine wreckage strewn in the crash of two Army helicopters that killed three paratroopers.A fourth soldier who rode in one of the helicopters was treated at the William Beaumont Army Medical Center at Fort Bliss after the crash Sunday night. The soldier then was released back to his unit. Two OH-58 Delta Kiowa Warrior helicopters, each carrying two soldiers, crashed about 9:50 p.m. Sunday ...

Albuquerque Journal (NM) - April 19, 1996

ARMY IDENTIFIES TWO DEAD PARATROOPERS
AROUND NEW MEXICO LAS CRUCES -- The Army on Thursday released the names of two paratroopers killed in the April 14 crash of two helicopters on the Fort Bliss Military Reservation. Two of the victims of the nighttime crash, which occurred during aerial gunnery maneuvers, were identified as Capt. Joseph O. Reed III, 30, of Windermere, Fla., commander of Company B, 1st Battalion, 82nd Aviation Brigade; and Chief Warrant Officer Donald S. Murray, 37, of Belleville, N.J. ...

2.13.2013

Pfc. John M. Hoar, a slender 20-year-old soldier who marched
off to the Vietnam war on Christmas Day
1965, returned home Sunday evening. He became the first (known) Belleville
serviceman to give his life in that far-away conflict which no one understands.

His gray, flag-draped coffin arrived at 9:30 p.m. Sunday
aboard a sleek military transport plane which landed at Newark Airport
accompanied by Sp. 5 Bob White, a military escort provided by the army for its
fallen warriors.

Pfc. Hoar died of a head wound inflicted by soldiers of the
Viet Cong during a savage firefight at Bongson, 265 miles northeast of Saigon
on the South China Sea.

His death, said an Army telegram from the Defense
Department, ''... was incurred by small arms fire while on a combat
operation.''

"When we came up here," he wrote before the fight,
"we had 15 guys in the squad. Now we have nine. One was taken sick,
another broke his leg, and three others were wounded."

Now Pfc. Hoar himself joins the list of America's honored dead
who were killed in action.

He is survived by his grieving parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert
J. Hoar, 80 Cleveland Street, who sit quietly in their second-floor apartment
and remember the days when their son was a laughing young man who had the world
before him.

1.31.2013

(Feb. 15, 1968) -- A military guard snapped to a salute as
pallbearers removed the body of 20-year-old Roger Bryan Crowell from Holy
Family Church in the bitter cold last Sunday morning following funeral services
there.

Young Crowell is another Belleville victim of the Vietnam
conflict. He was a product of the Belleville school system and his parents have
been long-time residents of 100 Tiona Avenue.

The telegram of regret from the Army states that he died of
gunshot wounds suffered during an engagement with the enemy Vietcong forces on
Jan. 31. The body was flown back home to Belleville.

Crowell was known to his family by his nickname
"Rog." He was an outstanding Little Leaguer and winner of many
trophies for athletics.

He attended Grammar School 5 on Greylock Parkway, Belleville
and went on to Belleville High School where he was especially active in
football, baseball and basketball. He graduated from BHS in 1965.

Crowell was engaged to be married for several years to Gail
Corino, his high school sweetheart. A draft notice precipitated the marriage
but because their marriage was kept secret, the ceremony was held at three
different times in as many different churches - in June, September, and
December 1966.

The young couple had only four days plus Roger's leave time,
to be together in all their married life. Their son, Roger Jr. is now 10-months
old; he was born in Clara Maass Memorial Hospital. Roger Sr. was able to obtain
leave and arrive to be with his wife and new baby the day after the birth.